For this week’s post, I would like to extend my discussion on attunements and discuss the highly criticized topic of absent (or more commonly called, distance) attunements.
I would like to start out by saying that I have received both distance and in person attunements. My first Reiki attunement was a distance attunement. Without distance attunements, I would likely not be a Reiki practitioner today.
Why Distance Attunements?
The idea of a distance attunement is a natural extension of a very popular Reiki-ho technique taught at second level: distance healing. One of the symbols’ sole purpose is to connect practitioner and receiver over time and space. The process of using this symbol to send Reiki to a person anywhere in the world is one of the reasons many practitioners learn the second level of Reiki.
So if Reiki healing energy can be sent over a distance, then can an attunement? Well, the short answer is, “Yes.”
However…
Distance Attunements vs Distance training
The system of Reiki is more than an attunement. There are teachings and practices that go along with it. Teachings that, in my opinion, can not be properly conveyed by sending a PDF along with the attunement. In a live class, there is more energy exchange than just the attunement. This is true of any class, not just a Reiki class or spirituality classes in general. Having taught computer classes for a number of years; I can assure you, energy is exchanged between teacher and student through the whole class.
Can this exchange be replicated in a distance environment? Sure it can, but it takes some extra effort on the part of the teacher and the student. Distance learning is not easier; it is in fact, harder. The advantage is that you can learn with someone not geographically close to you, and often on your own schedule. But it is definitely not easier.
What do distance attunements feel like?
But let’s get back to distance attunements. There are those that discredit distance attunements. They say they are inferior and the clairvoyants have “proven” they are not good. Now I will not get into the fact that most of the people saying this are charging some of the highest prices for their live classes. I can only speak from my experiences.
As I said earlier, my first attunement was a distance attunement. In fact, that was my first real energy work of any kind. I definitely felt when it happened. There was a noticeable sensation during the whole experience; I could tell when it started and when it stopped. And I was definitely a different person afterwards.
I have had many distance attunements since then. They tend to vary in intensity depending on my state at the time and are, no doubt, affected by the skill of the practitioner sending the attunement. But in all cases, I felt something happening, even if it was just a deep relaxation come over me. I have fallen asleep during more than one distance attunement.
The “weakest” distance attunements I have felt are the somewhat popular “chi ball” attunements. This is where the practitioner puts the energy of the attunement in a “ball” and sends it out to the Universe to be tapped into by the recipient when they are ready. I have experienced a few of these, and the sensation was minimal. I am not so full of myself that I don’t realize the problem may be on my end, but my experience with other attunements suggests otherwise.
So distance attunements, what is the verdict? I think they have their place. They don’t replace all attunements, but they can be useful in the right situation. If there are no teachers in your area, or the teachers in your area are not a good fit for you; then a distance attunement is better than nothing. What do you think?
I think the more important question is if attunements are even necessary. I just added a post to the PBP thread where I found your article – I’d love to hear you opinion 🙂
Speaking for myself, I don’t believe attunements are necessary. I think they have their own unique qualities (versus a “standard” Reiki session), but I don’t think they’re mandatory. That’s me, so take it with a grain of salt!
As I mentioned last week, attunements are not technically necessary; the attunement connects us to the founder, Mikao Usui. Anyone can run the energy and practice the techniques taught in Reiki, and symbols have been used for centuries to focus intent and power without needing to be “attuned” to an individual symbols. But are you practicing Reiki-ho or energy healing?
In the Japanese Art of Reiki, Bronwen and Frans Stiene talk about the five aspects of Reiki-ho: Meditations, Precepts, Hands on Healing, Symbols, and Attunements. Lots of systems do one or more of those, but what makes Reiki-ho is all five aspects. Without the attunements, then you are leaving something out. You may still have a good practice – and that is perfectly fine; but it isn’t Reiki-ho.
You’ll have to help me out since I don’t speak Japanese – when you say Reiki-Ho, to which specific tradition of Reiki are you referring? Usui Reiki, Hayashi Reiki, Reiki Jin Kei Do, Karuna Reiki, Gendan Reiki, Jikiden Reiki, Raku Rei Reiki, Reido Reiki, Tibetan Reiki? Madam Takata taught based on the lessons of Dr. Usui brought to her via Dr. Hayashi, but the actual material she presented to her students over 40 years of teaching was substantially different than what was taught by Dr. Usui or Hayashi.
There are a lot of schools of Reiki with a lot of accomplished practitioners among them. To expand this even more, we could look at the discussion that other forms of Reiki were extant at the time of Dr. Usui, hence why Dr. Usui named what he developed Usui Reiki in order to differentiate it from other styles taught by his contemporaries.
Thanks for the great question. I am not specifically referring to a style of Reiki. Reiki-ho is short for Reiki Ryoho, which means Reiki Method.
I totally agree with you regarding the multiple systems of Reiki. I have taken classes and been attuned in many different systems. I think the various systems are of value; they allow the student to find the system and teachings that appeal to them. People need to be comfortable when they start a new journey, and the right system will help them feel comfortable as they grow.